The Shadows Which Follow
by squigle.x
Summary: Hermione returns to Hogwart's for her seventh year and enters the Twi-wizard tournament. What will happen when she leaves Hogwart's and there is a Death Eater Rebellion and a strange new power? What happens when she is sent to Askaban? Extended summary inside. Later CHAPTERS RATED M.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

**Right my fourth...? Harry Potter fanfiction! Hope you enjoy!**

**This fanfiction is set when Hermione goes back to Hogwarts for her seventh year. Ron and Harry are in Australia for their Aurora training.**

**Extended Summary:**

**Hermione goes back to Hogwarts for her seventh year and enters the Twi-wizard tournament. What will the outcome be? What will happen once she leaves the safety of Hogwarts and the Death Eater Rebellion strikes all the Muggle borns? What happens when she comes across a new power which can do devastating effects, and how will Ron and Harry help?**

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own Harry Potter *extreme sad face***

**Chapter 1: Restart**

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><p>Hermione stared at the piece of paper before her, her neat scrawl read her name as she folded it up and walked up to the stone goblet. The water glowed blue with wisps of smoke coming off, if she entered and was chosen there was no turning back even for Harry the chosen one. She clutched the paper and held it over the rim, squeezing her eyes shut she let the paper flutter on to the water. The smoke engulfed it and the water flashed a brilliant green before dimming back to blue. Hermione stepped out of the age detector and walked over to Ginny who was sat with Neville and Luna.<p>

"The Head Girl has officially entered the Tri-wizard tournament!" Ginny exclaimed as her friend sat down next to her. "Yes" Hermione said simply unsure whether or not it was a good idea.

"Don't worry, if you're picked you will be fine. Besides you managed to stay out of Voldemort's way for a year" Neville said brightly as he glanced up from the Herbology book placed on his lap.

Hermione sighed wearily as she thought of Harry and Ron over in Australia training to become stronger, to prove their strength and worthiness and here she was hiding away in books and a school. If she got through this was her time to shine, her moment to show the strength she had built up over the past year.

She twisted the ringer around her index finger, the ring Ron had given her before he had left. The silver snake twirled around her finger with two small black gems as eyes, every now and then she could have sworn the snake moved but she had bookmarked it as the dodgy lighting.

"Personally I wonder where Ron even managed to find the money for that ring! I mean it looks expensive, though it could have been from one of those Muggle shops...What are they called?" Ginny asked.

"Charity shops" she said half in the conversation, she didn't care whether or not the ring was expensive or not. It was the gesture which counted and it was a lot nicer then the foul smelling perfume he used to buy her.

"Oh, yeah that was it! Oh look there is Mira Wagner Berger, that Austrian girl. Shit! Look at those muscles!" Ginny exclaimed. Hermione glanced up as the Austrian girl placed her name in the goblet, she joined the Austrian Quidditch team when she was only sixteen and Ginny was very jealous.

"Did that Holly Head Harpies manager ever get back to you?" Hermione asked trying to pry her friend's jealousy away from the girl by the goblet.

"No! I am freaking out; there has been no letter back yet. Well its only been a few weeks right?" Ginny said as she chewed on a piece of hair uncertainly.

"The manager is probably so shocked at your success that she can't think up a good enough reply for your skill" she said, Ginny nodded the look of worry in her eyes dimming slightly at the reassurance.

"You're only saying that because you're my friend" Ginny said.

"No I'm saying that because I believe you are a skilled player and you just have to be patient" she said smiling encouragingly at her friend.

Professor McGonagall entered the hall and all the students sat at their tables in hushed silence as the other two Head teachers stood on either side.

"As you all know it is the Twi-wizard tournament, three students in total one from each school, Hogwarts, St Glosow and Frughenhew" Professor McGonagall paused momentarily as the great hall filled with deafening screams and cheers. "Now the first student to enter this competition is..." she stepped up to the goblet, it turned a dazzling orange before a scorched piece of paper fluttered into her hand.

"Mira Wagner Berger, will be representing Frughenhew" the hall erupted into cheers and whoops as Mira stood up and walked down to the front where she collected her name, and headed through a door way on the left.

"The second student is Robert South, representing St Glosow" the hall yet again erupted into cheers as Robert traced the same steps as Mira.

"Here goes nothing!" Ginny whispered to her friend as they clutched hands and stared at Professor McGonagall gripped the third and last piece of paper.

"The student representing Hogwarts is Hermione Granger"

The hall erupted into whooping and cheers far louder than the others, and Hermione stayed rooted to her spot slightly dazed from being in the tournament. "Go!" Ginny whispered nudging her friend to her feet.

Hermione walked shakily to the front of the great hall, the faces blurred around her as she walked forward. Professor McGonagall gave her a slight smile as she handed over the piece of paper.

The cheers dimmed as Hermione entered the little room where Mira and Robert were sat in stony silence, she sat down on a nearby chair and waited for the three adults to enter the room and to tell them when their first task is.

"Well done you three, as you know your first task will be coming up in a month's time which will give you enough time to prepare. Here is the clue, now good luck" Professor McGonagall said handing over a piece of paper to each student.

Hermione glanced down at the neat writing as she read the words which stained the piece of parchment.

_Icy cold in which we live, deep and dark no light is seen._

_Find what you need to conquer it all, and hour is time no more or less._

_The one you possess will be here for you._

The words buried deep in her mind as the parchment evaporated into thin air, the other two students glanced at their hands in confusion as the words chanted through their heads.

Hermione knew there was turning back, and for the first time since the rise of Lord Voldemort did she feel truly afraid.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**If you want more, read and review. Simples. **


	2. Chapter 2

**This fanfiction is set when Hermione goes back to Hogwarts for her seventh year. Ron and Harry are in Australia for their Aurora training.**

**Extended Summary:**

**Hermione goes back to Hogwarts for her seventh year and enters the Twi-wizard tournament. What will the outcome be? What will happen once she leaves the safety of Hogwarts and the Death Eater Rebellion strikes all the Muggle borns? What happens when she comes across a new power which can do devastating effects, and how will Ron and Harry help?**

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own Harry Potter *extreme sad face***

**Chapter 2: Indifference**

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><p>Hermione ran her fingers across the spines of the old books, the soft leather, the crisp paper. Her hand shook but she tried to hid it. She spun on her heel to face Neville who had his nose buried in a book.<p>

"Found anything?" She asked reaching for one of the many books resting on the table.

Neville looked tired, he had heavy bags beneath his eyes and he had been up for the past twelve hours helping Hermione find something to help her breather underwater and withstand the freezing temperatures.

"Well, there isn't anything in these books." He sighed rubbing his eyes wearily. "I'm sure there might be something in the restricted section."

"Yeah, maybe." Hermione mused perching on the edge of the table and chewing her thumbnail thoughtfully. Throughout her childhood the young witch had prided how she maintained her glossy nails but in the past few years she couldn't care less. "You should probably get some rest."

Neville opened his mouth to protest but Hermione flicked her wrist absently to silence him. "You've done all you can." She smiled.

Neville yawned and stood up. "I'm sure we will find something tomorrow." He said as he headed towards the doors of the library.

Once Neville was gone Hermione waved her wand and all the books which were piled on the table obediently floated back to their original shelves. The librarian was drifting to sleep behind her desk and Hermione made sure she walked as quietly as she could towards the restricted section. She secretly wished she had stolen Harry's invisibility cloak before he had left.

A quick spell unlocked the rusted old door which lead into the dark cobwebbed ridden room. Shelves lined the walls and made rows across the centre, stacked high with books packed tightly together. She illuminated her wand and began the search along the shelves.

It was nearing midnight when her sleepy eyes fell upon the deep black leather bound book, it was so old she was frightened it would disintegrate when she picked it up. Carefully she turned it over in her hands, strange markings adorned the front and it was nothing of which she had seen before.

Her ring caught on a snag in the leather and her heart caught in her throat as a tear formed across the cover. Ever so slowly the gold embossed characters seemed to float across the page. The young witch quickly blinked rapidly thinking it was a trick of the lights but now the markings had made words.

The Shadow's of Alselnmi

Ever so slowly she opened the book and just like the cover words began to form, sentences revealed themselves and she soon lost herself in the pages of the book. Dark magic unknown to her was slowly seeping into her body, awakening a part of her mind she didn't even know existed.

"Have you been here all night?"  
>Hermione lifted her head slowly to see Ginny peering down at her, she had fallen asleep reading the book. Her hair was crumpled and she could feel the imprint of the books pages embedded in her cheeks.<p>

"What if I have?" She asked as her friend sighed heavily.

"Look, I know the love of your life is down in Australia, mine is too. But you don't see me moping around a library!" Ginny exclaimed. "For the love of Merlin! You're first task is in two hours and from the looks of things you're not ready and I don't want to have to tell Ron why you're not there for Christmas dinner."

Hermione rubbed her eyes not even bothering to pick up on her ungodly remark, she knew she hadn't found anything to help her breather underwater. It was too cold for Gillyweed to grow, a bubble would pop in the freezing temperatures and she wasn't the best at transfiguration.

"Don't worry, I found something." She said standing up and stretching. Even though she hadn't found something the words escaped her lips.

Ginny took a step back looking surprised. "Really? Neville said you were still struggling last night?"

"Don't worry, I found something." She repeated. As she said the words deep down she knew she had, the words from the pages from the deep black book were floating in the back of her mind. She was ready.

Ginny and Neville lead her down to the great lake, an unseasonal snow covered Hogwarts grounds and all the students were wrapped up warm. Under Hermione's thick coat and boots was a swimming costume, she knew it wouldn't keep her warm but the spell wold. She didn't understand the words but she knew it would save her.

The other contestants were staring down at the gaping hole in the ice covered lake, the water was jet black. Professor McGonagall stood alongside the other head teachers of the schools, they were wrapped up against the cold in think coats and warm hats.

"Contestants at the ready," Professor McGonagall said into her wand.

Hermione released Ginny's hand, not realising how tightly she had been gripping it. "Good luck." Her friend whispered.

The young witch peeled off her thick coat and removed her boots, she stood alongside Mira who was also stood shivering in a deep red swimming costume. Self consciously Hermione tugged at the straps of the black togs.

"At the ready," Professor McGonagall said. "You have one hour."

A loud horn blared and the other two contestants dived into the water, Hermione swallowed her fear before diving in after them. The water was freezing and her limbs froze as she began to sink.

Miknassa Erulashine Hermione desperately chanted the words in her head and slowly a black shadow seeped from the ring on her finger and engulfed her body before disintegrating. Her body was warm and she could no longer feel the freezing water stroking her skin. Her lungs burned as she held her breath. She knew she wouldn't last much longer, small stars danced across her vision.

Above her head she could see the hole in the ice, it would be so easy to swim to the surface. But then she would lose, and she wasn't a quitter. Unable to cope with her burning lungs she opened her mouth and sucked in the cool water.

At first she choked but then a small voice in the back of her mind told her to breathe out, it took control of her body. Her breathing calmed and soon she was hovering in the water sucking in lungful after lungful and releasing it. She was breathing. Underwater.

Hermione glanced down at her watch, she had forty minutes. She kicked and began swimming through the darkened waters.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**I found this sitting on my computer and thought you might like to see it as well. This is the outcome of procrastination. Oops.**

**Read and review, simples.**


	3. Chapter 3

**This fanfiction is set when Hermione goes back to Hogwarts for her seventh year. Ron and Harry are in Australia for their Aurora training.**

**Extended Summary:**

**Hermione goes back to Hogwarts for her seventh year and enters the Twi-wizard tournament. What will the outcome be? What will happen once she leaves the safety of Hogwarts and the Death Eater Rebellion strikes all the Muggle borns? What happens when she comes across a new power which can do devastating effects, and how will Ron and Harry help?**

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own Harry Potter *extreme sad face***

* * *

><p>Hermione lost track of time as she swam through the dark waters, a deep tugging in her gut seemed to pull her in the right direction. Soon the tall swaying strands of seaweed parted and the crumbled remains of a ship appeared, resting on the rocks. A sharp glow caught her eye, hidden beneath a rotting flag was a gold box.<p>

She drew her wand and swam over to the glowing box, it was deep gold and was obviously enchanted. There were intricate swirls decorating the sides and when Hermione's cool fingers brushed them they glowed a deep green.

An image appeared in the lid, it was a memory she had almost forgotten. Hermione was sat astride a pink barbie doll bike her training wheels holding her steady, her parents were cheering. A deep throated roar tore the young witches gaze from the box, a black shape was appearing out of the weeds. She tucked the box her arm before flicking her wrist at the now fully emerged shape. It was a six foot tall squid, its long arms over seven feet long. They swirled around the small body, reaching out for her. A stream of black inky liquid shot from her fingers, growing and spreading until the squid was completely submerged. It let out a sickening screech as its soon limp body began to sink.

Hermione felt sick but she could feel the power growing in the pit of her stomach, for once she didn't feel inferior, for once she felt strong. She kicked off from the rocky ground and began her slow accent. The warmth which was surrounding her body seemed to slowly seep away the closer she got to the surface. Her limbs began to ache and a pounding had overcome her head, she was also struggling to breathe. It was as if the water was sticking in her throat, starving her of oxygen.

Just when she felt like her lungs were about to burst Hermione broke the surface of the water to hear deafening cheers and applauding. She gasped and sucked in lungful's of water as she gently swam to the jetty.

Neville and Ginny helped to haul her out of the water and she sunk into the warm towels as she shivered against the cold. Her friends lead her to a seat next an enchanted flame and she was grateful for the warmth. She sat and turned the box over in her hands as she waited for the other contestants to surface.

Robert came second and shortly afterwards Mira broke the surface, she scowled at Hermione when she noticed her already sat by the heater. Hermione smiled sweetly and returned her gaze to the box in her hands.

Ginny was chatting excitedly at dinner, not being able to get over how well her friend did. Hermione was silent as she stirred her food around the plate, she had been back at school for almost three months and she hadn't received a letter from Ron. She knew they were strict at Aurora camps and would only allow monthly letters, she also knew Ron wasn't the best at letter writing but she still felt hurt.

Neville noticed Hermione's lack of interest in the conversation. "You okay?" He asked.

Hermione glanced up. "Yes, fine."

When Neville continued to stare at her through narrowed eyes she rethought her response. "I'm just tired, if you'll excuse me I'm just going to take a bath. Think this through."

"Okay," Neville still looked suspicious.

"I'll see you tomorrow Gin." Hermione said patting her friend on the shoulder and standing up. She walked out of the grand hall and towards the Head Girl/Boy bathroom. It was a small room off the fifth floor and it had a bath big enough to swim a length with ornate taps towering at the one end. Hermione liked to shut herself away and get away from the stresses of her duties and school work.

She sat in the warm water and stared at the box which rested next to her clothes, she couldn't bring herself to open it. She didn't want to know what horrors awaited her.

Hermione swallowed her fear and reached across to the box. It was cold and heavy im her slippery fingers. Ever so gently she opened the lid.

There was a mirror on the inside of the lid and she stared back at her confused gaze. Inside was a small twig, and a note. Hermione put down the box and unfolded the note.

Forbidden love and forbidden desire.  
>The golden cup.<p>

Hermione read the note four more times before folding it up and placing it back in the box. Why had she entered the competition? Yes, she had won the first event but that didn't mean she would win again. She could die.

Hermione let out a slow breath and sunk beneath the water. She couldn't bear to think about the consequences, she had to focus on surviving.

It was late by the time Hermione wandered into the common room, most students were already in bed except for Neville. He was sat in the chair opposite the fire place, the seat which herself and Ron had called their own.

She walked over and sat next to him, clutching the box to her chest.

"I was wondering when you would reappear." Neville said flicking through the herbology book on his lap.

"I've looked at the next clue." She said staring at the flames, unable to drag her gaze to meet Neville's

"What does it say? I could help." he said eagerly.

"Forbidden love and forbidden desire.  
>The golden cup." Hermione said opening the box and handing it to Neville. He grasped the wood and turned it over in his hands.<p>

"This is made of pine." he said running his fingers across the smooth wood. He picked up the twig and held it up in the air. "This is pine too."

"I didn't realise." she said.

Neville stared at the twig in wonder. "What was that line again?"

"Forbidden love and forbidden desire. The golden cup." Hermione said the mystery beginning to unravel itself in the back of her mind.

"I assume you know where a large grouping of pine trees are?" Neville said closing the box and setting it on the coffee table so the two could stare at it.

"The Forbidden Forest." Hermione whispered.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Review please.**


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